Latest ammonia products on display at IIAR show - part 1

Ammonia charge reduction as well as new areas of application were the hot topics at the exhibition floors of the IIAR show in Milwaukee last week. Well-established North American companies but also emerging organisations from abroad presented their latest ammonia developments to conquer the growing US market. ammonia21.com talked to the exhibitors and reports on their ammonia products showcased in two parts.

The increased number of exhibitors compared to the last IIAR non-heavy-equipment exhibition reflected the general mood of the ammonia industry in the US. Almost all contractors, suppliers or manufacturers whom ammonia21.com spoke to confirmed an increased interest in ammonia technology especially in systems with reduced charge and size. Another new trend that could change the traditional understanding of ammonia is its use in commercial applications including supermarkets or/and the combined use with CO2 making the system potentially more efficient and safer.

Some of the companies that presented their latest products and services are listed below with more to come in part two of this article tomorrow:

Mayekawa: The pioneer for industrial cooling & freezing systems, refrigeration compressors and heat pumps has growing success and demand for their natural refrigerant systems in North America. One example of Mayekawa’s applied advanced refrigeration systems in the US is the first complete natural refrigeration supermarket opening this summer and using ammonia as the primary and CO2 as the secondary coolant.

Alfa Laval: At the Alfa Laval booth, the visitors could get information about the companies U-Turn Liquid separator for flooded ammonia evaporators. Thanks to its success in Europe it has been relaunched in the US and with its compact design it can ensure extremely low refrigerant charges e.g. for ice rinks and reduced hold-up volume to complement the plate heat exchanger design.

The two available models with adopted U-Turn lengths cover ammonia capacities from 200 to 1400 kW at 0ºC evaporation and from 50 to 500 kWE at -40ºC evaporation. Further information and a video will soon be available on ammonia21.com.

GEA: As charge reduction and system size are some of the main topics when it comes to advanced ammonia refrigeration systems, also GEA’s FES chiller package features a low NH3 charge and a compact design, as well as no pumped ammonia and an automatic oil return.

The most recent development of the leading group for industrial refrigeration presented at the IIAR exhibition was the Xseries of screw compressor packages. Thanks to an optimised rotor profile manufactured with the latest grinding technology, it features a “Xtremely” efficient compressor design with improved volumetric efficiency and lower consumption.

Frick by Johnson Controls: Frick announced right before the IIAR show their new web based next generation refrigeration controllers, called Quantum HD. Easy accessible on your ipad, laptop or smartphone, the control panel can be monitored and controlled remotely. Product Manager John Cosner also explained that the Quantum HD comes with greater programmability, streamlined ease of navigation, touch-screen technology and a high-definition screen. Moreover, the refrigeration controller is engineered to integrate with almost any screw compressor package.

Emerson/Vilter: As one of the world’s largest providers of HVAC/R solutions, Emerson Climate Technologies was also present at the IIAR exhibition to showcase its Microprocessor Control Vission 20/20 with large colour touch screen display that features enhanced communications for a reliable operation of ammonia systems. In addition, they showed pictures and information of their single screw ammonia heat pumps with an average COP of 5.0 that are successfully installed in the US and abroad.

Evapco: Evapco informed the IIAR audience about its eco-ATC evaporative condensers that are available in capacities from 125 to 2,900 ammonia tons. The company also has a large R&D center in Maryland that supposed to have the industry’s largest low temperature, insulated environmental test chamber controlled by an ammonia refrigeration system designed to operate at suction temperatures as low as -40°F (-40°C).

GCAP: The Garden City Ammonia Program team, which provides education for industrial ammonia refrigeration operators, was also present to inform about their services and latest publications. GCAP’s new guide “Implementing Process Safety Management for Ammonia Refrigeration” is either offered together with their training class for Ammonia PSM/RMP competencies or can be ordered separately. The guide offers an in-depth analysis of regulatory requirements for companies, guidelines, and best practices for the ammonia industry.

Isotherm: Texas-based manufacturer of heat transfer and refrigeration equipment Isotherm proudly presented its latest innovation, the “Ultra Low Charge Ammonia Shell and Tube Evaporator” SX series. The first commercial unit was installed on board a commercial fishing vessel in Chile. The chiller is designed for a capacity of 385 kW and the total refrigerant charge in the system is less than 18 kg

More about companies exhibiting at the IIAR including HB Products, Danfoss, Carnot Refrigeration, Henry Technologies, Bitzer and many more in tomorrow's article.